EARTHQUAKE DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Nepal Himalaya lies in the active seismic belt. Seismicity in the Himalaya is the consequence of the collision of the Indian Plate with Eurasian plate. Nepal is exposed to most disaster types including earthquakes, floods, landslides, droughts, storms, avalanches, hailstorms, fires, epidemics and ecological hazards. A wide range of physiological, geological, tectonic, ecological, meteorological and demographic factors contribute to the vulnerability of the country. Earthquake can neither be predicted nor stopped the only way to minimize its impact is to take safety measures.

HISTORICAL AND PAST DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES IN NEPAL

Source: Historical Earthquakes of Nepal

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

The National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by the Prime Minister, and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Executive Committee, chaired by the Home Minister, are the top policy bodies for disaster management. Under them, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) coordinates the whole-of-government approach. The Chief Executive of the NDRRMA is a member-secretary of the Council and Executive Committee and chairs the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR), which coordinates, facilitates, and implements disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities nationally.

The Central Natural Disaster Relief Committee is formed by the 30 members out of which 26 members represented by Disaster related Ministries and Department remaining 6 as invited members. It has been constituted under the chairmanship of Home Minister. This committee also can call the meeting from the concerned Member of Parliament representing the district affected by natural disaster.

The main functions and duties of the Central Natural Disaster Relief Committee are:

• To recommend the Government to declare the area affected by the natural Disaster as the disaster area,
• To formulate the national policy regarding the relief work including the rehabilitation of the victims of the Natural disaster and reconstruction in the area affected by the natural disaster etc.,
• To keep the money, food stuff, clothes, medicines, construction materials and other goods received within the country and from outside as aid or donation under the Central Natural Disaster Aid Fund and to send such goods as required for relief work in disaster area,
• To associate the social organizations in natural disaster relief work and to coordinate the activities of those organizations,
• To form groups and send them to disaster area to assist on Natural disaster relief work.

The following strategies will be adopted for the management of disasters:

• Emphasis will be given to develop and apply environment-friendly systems in development and construction works.
• For the mitigation of risks of natural disaster, appropriate information flow and pre- disaster preparedness will be made.
• To strengthen collaborative works between the government, non government and private sector for rapid response and recovery to those affected by disaster.

The main objective is to promote the security of life and property from the affect of natural disasters through sustainable, environment-friendly and result oriented development by making disaster management practices efficient, competent, strengthened and effective.

NEXT STEPS FOR THE FUTURE EARTHQUAKE DISASTER MANAGEMENT

The following points indicated by three years Interim plan (2008-2011) should be considered for the future disaster management plans:

• Adoption of suitable technology for mitigation of disasters with considerations of environmental and ecological impacts.
• Simple and low-cost technology based on local available materials
• Making rescue and relief reliable and effective.
• Carrying out effective public awareness activities with active participation.
• Preparing seismic hazard maps of vulnerable areas etc.

Considering the above facts the following measures should be taken to minimize the loss of life and property.

Implementation of Building code:

In principle Earthquake does not kill people but the unsafe building is the main reason for the loss of life and property. Although National building code 1994 and building act 1999 are in practice but due to the lack of Monitoring, evaluation and inter organizational coordination it is not fully followed. This should be fully monitored and reviewed.

Retrofitting of the old buildings:

Retrofitting of old buildings also help to stand the building strong against earthquake. The recent modern retrofitting technologies should be followed for the old vulnerable buildings. Some of the very old buildings which are vulnerable to earthquake should be demolished by making some policy by the government to resolve the socio-economic problem of the people.

Identification of the open space:

In case of big earthquake disaster open space is urgent to rescue the victims. Such open spaces should be identified and well managed in the big cities like Kathmandu valley where the possibility of risk is high due to its geology and haphazard urbanization.

Identification of evacuation root:

The evacuation root should be identified before the large disaster so that the victims could easily rescued by the search and rescue team. Also people could follow the root to escape if necessary after the long shaking.

Societal concern:

Most people think that Earthquake is the punish of god, so they should make aware that it is the natural phenomenon which is due to the tectonic movement. Community based disaster evacuation helps very much to convince those people.

Early warning system:

Earthquake early warning mechanism is the key issue to reduce the earthquake risk. More lives could be saved which usually cause by the secondary hazard (Electricity short circuit, Gas etc.). It also helps people to follow the safety measures during earthquake.

Awareness and Drilling:

Earthquake cannot be stopped. It's a natural phenomenon so we should not avoid it. The only way we could do is to follow the safety measures and always be ready against it. It is very important to include disasters in school education so that it could be circulated to whole family by the influence of children as well in the society. Also drill helps to realize people the Scenario of the past disaster for long time in their mind and act against it for the future. Also the public media, national newspaper helps very much for the promotion of awareness.

Street symbol and store house:

The most vulnerable area should be identified and make some street symbol to easily recognize those area at the time of disaster. For the emergency supplies store house should be develop with necessary stuffs.

Preserving Land:

Our tendency always been to construct commercial construction wherever there is open space by which we are suffering lack of evacuation ground and shelters. To save such lands Government should allocate appropriate areas and make park/garden, playground etc for evacuation. If possible, in the case of narrow streets govt. or municipality should buy small attached land to the street from owner to make street wider, which could play vital role in case of disaster.